水竹芋屬多年生草本，原產熱帶非洲和美國南部沼澤。地下具根莖。根出葉，長卵形葉互生，有長柄，葉鞘抱莖，先端突尖，近葉基處暗綠色，上被白粉，葉鞘分為紅色、綠色品種。穗狀圓錐花序，花莖高達3m，細長彎垂，花瓣紫色有皺摺，苞片密被細茸毛。果實近橢圓形，熟時褐色。

A perennial herb in the genus Thalia, native to tropical Africa and swamps in the southern United States. Rhizomes producing long oval leaves, alternate, long-stalked, leaf sheaths amplexicaul, apex acuminate, colored dark green near the leaf base, covered with white powder; two groups of varieties with red or green leaf sheaths. Spike-like panicles, flower stems up to 3 m long, slender and drooping, petals purple and wrinkled, bracts densely fluffy. Fruits nearly oval and brown when ripe.

水生挺水植物，可水生或陸地栽培，但旱地栽培需充份供水。生長極強健，喜溫暖濕潤和光線明亮的環境，不耐寒，冬季低溫葉片會黃化休眠。以種子或分株繁殖。

The aquatic emergent plant can be cultivated in water or soils; sufficient water supply required for land cultivation. Robust in growth, it prefers warm, humid and well-lit environments. Not winter hardy, the leaves often turn yellow during winter dormancy period. Bred from seeds or ramets.

葉片造型俐落美觀，花序構造特殊，可用大缽種植為庭園景觀植物，或種植於水岸邊。新鮮的根、根莖及花可食用。

Prized for the pleasant foliage shape and unique inflorescence structure, they are suitably planted in a large container for garden landscaping or planted in the waterside. The fresh roots, rhizomes and flowers are edible.